After case change, computer does a failed start

[menorton]

ok, my new case came in today. It is a brand new Antec P180 and my old case is a 3 yo Compusa Gamerz case (crappy i know). The computer had been working just fine, games and all, when i turned it off to switch it into the new case. i turned it off, turned off the psu, and removed all of the cables. 2+ hours later, this new case was a BITCH to work with due to the bad instructions, i finally get everything installed. no new or different components were added, just moving all the stuff from my old case to my new case.

So when i pushed the power button to turn on my computer, it does for like 1 sec then shuts off. Its like it is a failed start. I figured it was a power issue of not enough voltage to go around (since the new case has two 120mm fans and one 80mm fan in it, compared to just one 80mm fan in my last case). I take those out, still a failed start. I take out the 6800gt, and still a failed start. Finally i say the hell with it and i taked out every single thing out of the mobo so that in end, it is just the cpu/hsf, mobo, and psu. And i STILL get the failed start. I take out the cpu so its just mobo and psu, and that makes it stay on about 3 seconds longer. When i reinstalled the cpu, it is like nothing has changed.

why woudl simply moving the parts from computer A to computer B make it not work? I was very careful with them and they were never dropped, damaged, etc..

Things that were not done that will be done after work:
1. Try to put into old case (damnit, this will take long time), and see if still not work.
2. Use computer i am typing on now (at home) and swap out parts and see which are defective.


Specs:

AMD64 3500+, 130nm, hsf
ABIT av8
gf 6800GT
2x512mg Mushkin DDR400
Thermaltake Truepower 480wt psu
audigy z2

 

[stevty2889]

My guess is that there is a standoff somewhere out of position in the case thats shorting out the motherboard. Also try disconnecting all of the wires connecting to the case, including the reset and power switches. Use a screwdriver to short the 2 pins together the power switch connects to to turn it on. Otherwise, take the motherboard out of the case, and set it on a non-conductive surface, and then try to boot with the minimums(ram, video card, cpu/heatsink and fan.

 

[menorton]

ok, so i took the mobo out of the case and put it on a box on my bed. Only two things plug into it and they are the only connection to my case. the 4 pin power cable and the 20 pin power cable. Both cables are completly and securely in position, and none of the pins are bent. The cpu/hsf is also in just fine, and it is plugged into the board for fan power. And still, it is a failed start. I start the computer using the method that you said, witht he flat head screwdriver


what can i do now?

 

[jlee]

It turns on for one second and then shuts off? Do you get fans/HD activity?

 

[menorton]

it turns on then turns off about 1 second later. fans, cpuhsf, all of that turn on then go off. the red mobo led, which is supposed to stay on the entire time, just blinks once.


iknow the mobo is getting power. when the mobo is pluged into the psu, as long the psu switch is on, the mobo has a green counter that displays numbers. not sure what these numbers mean but the fact that they are present means it is getting power

 

[stevty2889]

Have you tried with the motherboard outside of the case yet?

 

[menorton]

yes, this was said in my second post

 

[stevty2889]

hmm, do you have another PSU you can try? That sounds somewhat similar to how mine acted after my thermaltake PSU died. At first it would turn on for a second, then it just stopped turning on all together, and I didnt' even get the light on the motherboard anymore.

 

[Rocket321]

I would definitly note down what numbers are being displayed on the motherboard LED and then look them up in the manual that came with the mobo, or online. This is very similar a problem I ran into, and replacing the mobo resolved it.

 

[lenjack]

Check to see if the cpu heatsink/fan is plugged into the proper board header. If it isn't, you'll get just what you've described.

 

[menorton]

^^ it is. even when i took out the cpu/hsf, it would still do a failed start. however, it would stay on for slightly longer (2 sec) before shutting down. I have yet to get to POST

 

[menorton]

I just swtiched out psus. the family computer psu still made my computer do the failed start, while my psu into the family computer started it just fine. Conclusion: my psu is fine and not part of the problem. B/c the family computer is an intel, i was unable to swap out cpus and motherboard (i am amd). Those two components are the only two left in this problem bc everything else has been unplugged and uninstalled and thus removed from the systen. My bro has amd and is coming over tomorrow to help swith and diagnose

anyone else have any more ideas?

 

[Joe89]

Almost sounds like the cmos is being cleared...


Perhaps what happened is the jumper came loose?

 

[menorton]

ok. sweet. problem is solved. I am not sure which did it, or if it was the combination, but it is now up and running and playing games. The first thing i did was completly wipe clean the orignial thermal grease from my cpu and hsf with a cloth that i sprayed electronic-sensitive cleaner with. I got the cpu and the hsf spotless and shiny. I then looked in my mobo book about where the CMOS jumper was, remembering what Joe89 said.. i cleared it and set it back. After doing both of these things, the psu/mobo/cpu-hsf started up just fine. I then turned it off and added all of the other parts and so it was like my normal computer, and it still turned on just fine.

i would like to say thanks to all of the people that helped me on this!

 

[Joe89]

Glad I could help